Authors Note: Before I proceed to the story, I just want to wholeheartedly thank each and every single one of you who read my stories over the years. Your support and constructive criticism over the years is what prompted me to want to begin a career in writing. Something that means a lot to me. I know I haven't been posting but a lot has gone on over two years. I struggled badly with anxiety and depression and some stuff happened in my family life and unfortunately writing just wasn't my priority. I'm slowly getting better now so I hope to start writing again. Thank you for your patience. It really means the world.

Harry Potter was no stranger to fear.

He had fought Voldemort three times, had battled a dragon, had even navigated the murky underbelly of that elusive beast romance. But as he stood at then foot of the maze, his wand hand shook and his legs felt as if they had been hollowed out and replaced with jelly.

Cedric eyed him with concern. "You all right there, Harry? You look a bit pale."

Harry swallowed hard. "Never been better," he muttered between gritted teeth.

"Of course 'e is. 'e is the Boy Who Lived." Fleur said breezily, sending him a smile that would melt the sun.

Fleurs uniform was just a little too tight and Harry looked away quickly, hit with the sudden mad thought of Ginny marching down from the stands and pulverising Fleur on the spot and fought off the desire to laugh. Thoughts of Ginny were like a tonic and his nerves dissipated. Krum placed a meaty hand on Harry's shoulder but said nothing.

The judges were gathered just at the edge of the Quidditch pitch, Bright yellow stars placed on their chests. Percy Weasley was chatting animatedly to Hagrid, while Crouch was having a serious conversation with Mad Eye Moody and Dumbledore. Almost as if he could sense him looking, Moody turned to look at him and inclined his head. Harry nodded back and turned to face the maze which was dark and murky looking.

"OKAY CHAMPIONS, IN TWO MINUTES THE KLAXON WILL SOUND AND THE THIRD TASK OF THE TRIWIZARD TOURNAMENT WILL BEGIN. AS MR POTTER AND MR DIGGORY ARE IN THE LEAD, THEY WILL ENTER FIRST, FOLLOWED BY MISS DELACOUR AND MR KRUM. SPECTATORS, RAISE YOUR WANDS FOR OUR FOUR TRIWIZARD CHAMPIONS!"

Lee Jordan's voice was drowned out with the sheer volume of noise drifting down from the pitch. Dean Thomas had drawn a lion onto a bed sheet, from which a picture of Harry zoomed out of the gaping maw on his Firebolt. This made Harry snort into his sleeve.

An almighty explosion rocked the clearing and Harry found himself being pushed forwards, stumbling to his knees. Swearing under his breath, Harry climbed unsteadily to his feet. Cedric appeared next to him, wand held so tightly in his hand that Harry thought it may snap. He held out a hand. "Whatever happens in there, tonight, we're still friends right?"

Cedric rolled his eyes. "Of course we are you prat. May the best man win?"

"Oh, yes," Harry smirked as the hedge behind them closed up and the sounds from outside become muffled as if underwater. "I plan to."

"That's the Spirit." Cedric, turned on his heels and disappeared down a shadowy crevice to his right, Harry chose the left fork.

It seemed like Harry had been walking forever. Indeed, the ominous silence pressed in on him from all sides and got underneath his skin. He passed a particularly dense patch of hedges, where the moons weak rays didn't reach. Harry muttered a quick Lumos and turned left at the next fork in the maze. The silence prickled at the back of his neck and for the first time, Harry was seized with the feeling of being watched. He remembered something Remus had said, some weeks prior.

"People change in the maze. They become paranoid, seeing faces in the shadows. Keep your wits about you, Harry."

Moody's plea for CONSTANT VIGILANCE pushed to the front of Harry's mind and he felt his shoulders relax. It was at this exact moment that he had a high pitched cry, coming from somewhere behind him. Not even stopping to think – as was a dangerous habit – Harry raised his wand high, illuminating the tall clipped hedges and throw the spidery shadows into sharp relief. His feet trampled hard earth and his heart beat with every step of his foot on the cold ground.

The scream sounded again, this time to his right and rounded a corner. At first, Harry wasn't sure what he was seeing and then he didn't want to believe it. Fleur lay on the ground, vines wrapped around her wrists and ankles, which even from his vantage point, Harry could see were raw and bleeding. Krum stood at her feet, his wand trained at her heart. Fleur had the beginnings of a black eye and a split lip and had the pained, terror filled look of someone who had been subjected to several minutes of torture.

"Viktor what are you doing?" Harry said calmly, stepping forward, wand held in front of him, while mentally calculating how long it would take for him to remember every single shield charm Hermione had made him learn.

Krum turned to Harry with milky white eyes. Harry was brought back to a time when he was much younger – six or seven – and he had gone to the Supermarket with his aunt while Vernon took Dudley fishing. A Labrador had been tied up outside, its head resting on its paws, panting in the heat. As they had passed into the air conditioned building, the dog had turned to look at them and its eyes were milky white. He had asked his aunt, who of course had clipped him around the head and told him not to ask questions.

Harry instinctively knew that something was seriously wrong with his friend. "Krum. This is not you. You're not a murderer."

Fleur whimpered ad closed her eyes, tears sliding down her perfect face. Krum advanced on Harry next, wand raised to his temple.

"STUPEFY!"

Red light ruffled the hedges and Cedric stepped through a smoking hole in one of the hedges, panting heavily. He had several twigs and leaves in his hair and a nasty looking gash on his shoulder. Cedric conjured ropes while Harry set to untying a feebly stirring Fleur and sending up red sparks.

"We should just kill him right now." Cedric snarled, glaring down at Krums prone form.

Harry tugged at his arm, which was levelled with Krums heart. "He was bewitched Cedric, besides I don't think the Ministry would see it that way. Let Dumbledore deal with it."

Cedric hesitated and stared down at Fleur. "She'll be OK," Harry looked down at her, she looked clammy but her chest rose and fell assuringly. Cedric nodded, more to himself than to Harry and placed his wand back in its holster. They said their goodbyes and again took opposite forks.

Harry's thoughts were so tied in with Krum and Fleur that he didn't feel the cold until it was much too late. His heart stopped as the rattling breaths filled his ears and his mothers distant screams. His knees buckled as a dementor rounded the corner, drifting almost lazily towards him, black robe swishing over the ground. He fell to the ground as the dementors slimy hands wrapped around his wrists and forced his head back. Harry's eyes rolled into the back of his head and his heart stuttered as he realised that the last thing he was ever going to see was the inside of a dementors hood.

Wait a minute.

Harry's strength rose. With almost brute force, Harry wrenched his hand free and unsheathed his wand. "EXPECTO PATRONUM."

A massive stag burst forth and charged at the solitary dementor, which burst into stars as soon as Harry's Patronus made contact.

"Must have been a boggart." Harry muttered as he pocketed his wand and rounded the corner. The magic here felt denser and thicker, like walking through treacle. His legs shook and his fingertips tingled as a warm feeling overcame him. The grassy walls pulsated with magic and Harry knew that he was here. His hands found one of the walls which was incredibly warm and sent of waves, like a stereo set to Bass Boost.

"Incendio."

The walls blew inwards with an almighty blast and Harry staggered backwards. He righted himself and stared at the golden cup. He had done it, he had found the Triwizard Cup. Cedric stumbled up the path, ankle bleeding profusely. Harry's head snapped up as he watched Cedric's eyes slide from the cup to Harry. Almost as if one knew what the other was thinking, both boys broke into a sprint, dodging vines and weeds which snaked out and attempted to trip them up. An icy wind ruffled both boys hair and at one point, a hole opened up in the ground, sending Harry reeling, but years of Seeker training had paid off and soon Harry's long legs were gaining momentum, catching up with Cedric's longer ones.

Harry dove forwards. As did Cedric. Their fingers touched the cup at the same time. Cedric's face mirrored his own shock and victory but before they could say anything, Harry felt a jerk behind his navel as he was whirled into space.

Short chapter, but I've got lots planned for next chapter. Please leave a review and let me know how I did. Will mean the world.